All That Breathes
Documentary Feature | Hindi with English Subtitles | India | Shaunak Sen
As legions of birds fall from New Delhi’s skies and the city smoulders with social unrest, two brothers race to save one of the casualties: a majestic black kite, a bird of prey essential to their city’s ecosystem. This screening was followed by a discussion with wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam and nature educator Garima Bhatia.
About the Filmmaker
Shaunak Sen is an Academy award nominated Indian filmmaker, video artist and film scholar. His documentary film on environmental issues, All That Breathes, won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at 2022 Sundance Film Festival and the Golden Eye award for the best documentary at 2022 Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
About the Wildlife Conservationist
Ravi Chellam has been involved with research, education, conservation, outreach and public engagement related to Indian wildlife and biodiversity since the early 1980s. He studied the Asiatic lions in Gir Forest for his Ph.D. and has been involved with research and conservation of lions since 1985. He served as an Expert Scientific Advisor to the Forest Bench of the Supreme Court of India in 2012. Since 2013, he serves on the Expert Committee appointed by the Supreme Court to guide and monitor the translocation of lions from Gir forest to Kuno National Park.
About the Educator
Garima Bhatia is a birdwatcher, nature educator and author. She works for a non-profit trust, Nature Conservation Foundation, leading a programme called Early Bird that develops resources to introduce children to nature, through birds. She has co-authored two popular photographic field guides to birds of the Indian subcontinent, and a handbook for educators. A chemical engineer by training, Garima switched careers after a decade in automotive research, and believes that introducing the next generation to the natural world is a critical need in confronting the challenges facing the planet. When not out traveling and birding, she watches birds from her balcony, and actively volunteers for environmental causes in her neighbourhood.